Sizes
How long does a 3 mL, 5 mL or 10 mL decant last?
The most common question before a first order is not about the fragrance, it is about the size: is 3 mL enough to judge a perfume, and how far does 10 mL go? The answer comes down to two numbers: sprays per millilitre and sprays per wear.
Below are the figures we use ourselves, a table you can read in ten seconds, and the honest caveats.
Sprays per millilitre
A standard fine-mist atomizer, including the King Rox atomizer, delivers roughly 0.08 to 0.1 mL per press. That works out at about 10 to 12 sprays per millilitre. Some bottles spray heavier, a few spray lighter, but 10 to 12 is a dependable planning figure.
So a 3 mL decant holds about 30 to 36 sprays, 5 mL about 50 to 60, and 10 mL about 100 to 120.
Sprays per wear
Most people apply two to four sprays: one or two on the neck and one on each wrist. Lighter styles such as citrus and aquatic fragrances invite four; a strong oud, amber or extrait is often one or two. In an air-conditioned office you need fewer than you think; outdoors in summer, a little more, applied where fabric does not rub it away.
| Size | Sprays | 2 sprays a day | 3 sprays a day | 4 sprays a day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 mL | 30–36 | 15–18 days | 10–12 days | 7–9 days |
| 5 mL | 50–60 | 25–30 days | 16–20 days | 12–15 days |
| 10 mL | 100–120 | 50–60 days | 33–40 days | 25–30 days |
The “days” assume you wear the same fragrance every day, which few people do. If it sits in a rotation of three or four, each figure stretches by that factor.
Which size for which purpose
- 3 mL: to judge a fragrance properly. Two to three weeks of daily wear covers hot days, cool evenings, work and weekends, which is what a counter spray can never tell you.
- 5 mL: for a fragrance you already like. It fits any pocket or clutch, clears the cabin liquids rule for flights and lasts a month in a rotation.
- 10 mL: for a signature you wear often, or to enjoy a fragrance over time without buying the bottle. Per millilitre it is the best value of the three.
Making a decant go further
Apply to clean, moisturised skin; dry skin lets fragrance fade faster. Do not rub your wrists together. Spray from about ten centimetres so the mist settles instead of running. Keep the cap on and the atomizer out of the car, the bathroom and direct sunlight. In the UAE that last point matters more than anywhere else, which is why heat has a guide of its own.
Does a decant go off?
Stored properly, a decant keeps as well as the bottle it came from: comfortably a year or more for most fragrances. Citrus top notes are the first to soften over time, which is one reason to buy citrus in sizes you will finish. A decant that smells sharp or sour, or has darkened noticeably, has been stored badly, usually in heat.
Common questions
Is 3 mL enough to test a perfume?
Yes. Thirty-plus sprays is two to three weeks of daily wear, enough to meet the fragrance in every situation that matters to you.
How many sprays are in a 10 mL decant?
About 100 to 120, at a typical 10 to 12 sprays per millilitre.
Can I take a decant on a flight?
Yes. All three sizes are well under the 100 mL cabin limit; keep the cap on and place the atomizer in your clear liquids bag.
Pick a size, wear it for real.
Every fragrance page shows which sizes are in stock and the price for each.
